'Can you stop lying?': Who told the truth in the Andrew Cuomo, Cynthia Nixon debate

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and former "Sex and the City" star Cynthia Nixon held a debate Wednesday night ahead of the Sept. 13 Democratic primary. The testy exchange featured plenty of interruptions and insults, but yielded no knockout blows. (Aug. 29)
AP

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo answers a question as Democratic New York gubernatorial candidate Cynthia Nixon looks on during a gubernatorial debate at Hofstra University in Hempstead, N.Y., Wednesday, Aug. 29, 2018. (AP Photo/Craig Ruttle, Pool)(Photo: Craig Ruttle, AP)

Here's a fact check on some of the key statements in Wednesday's debate:

'You are a corporation'

Who said it: Cuomo

The truth: Cuomo repeatedly called Nixon a "corporation," a reference to how she collects income and files her taxes.

Nixon's acting income goes to an S corporation known as the "Fickle Mermaid Corp.," which she controls. S corporations are often used as a pass-through by freelancers, which allows for certain tax benefits related to business expenses and retirement contributions.

Cuomo took it a step further, using the tax structure to call Nixon herself a corporation.

"I'm a person," Nixon responded. (That's true: She is human.)

'It wasn't until our campaign started fighting for it that you completely reversed yourself (on marijuana)'

Who said it: Nixon

The truth: Nixon, who backs legalization, was trying to take credit for Cuomo's changing stance on marijuana.

On Friday, amid pressure from Cuomo's campaign to release multiple years, Nixon made four additional years of tax returns available to reporters for review.

They were available for three hours in New York City, with Nixon's campaign first alerting some reporters to their availability the day before.

During the debate, Nixon pushed back against Cuomo, saying Cuomo didn't release his taxes in 2010 until after the gubernatorial election.

That year, Cuomo had filed for an extension and made his taxes available in December, after Election Day.

Cuomo and other statewide elected officials traditionally make their tax returns available for review by reporters each year. He does not post them online.

'(Trump) tweets at me weekly'

Who said it: Cuomo

The truth: That's a stretch.

Cuomo's comment was meant to be proof that he's gotten under Trump's skin. "Know me by my enemies," Cuomos aid during the debate.

President Donald Trump has taken to tweeting at Cuomo recently after the Democratic governor said America "was never that great" while trying to criticize the president's "Make America Great Again" slogan.

“WE’RE NOT GOING TO MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN, IT WAS NEVER THAT GREAT.” Can you believe this is the Governor of the Highest Taxed State in the U.S., Andrew Cuomo, having a total meltdown!

Nixon and other critics have faulted Cuomo for not doing more to break up the IDC until earlier this year, when he brokered a peace deal among the IDC and the rest of the Senate Democrats.

Cuomo maintains he had nothing to do with the creation of the IDC and has pledged support for a Democrat-controlled Senate.

Nixon pointed to another issue, too: Cuomo approved Senate district lines that were drawn by Republicans in 2012 and were favorable to the GOP.

'Cynthia Nixon called the mayor's office, asked for favors for her friends.'

Who said it: Cuomo

The truth: Cuomo was referring to a Daily News story revealing Nixon's correspondence with New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio over the years.

The emails showed Oskar Eustis, artistic director of the Public Theater, reached out to Nixon in 2014 to see if she would contact the mayor about helicopters that were flying over Shakespeare in the Park, the famed series of free, open-to-the-public plays put on each year in Central Park.

Nixon forwarded the request on to de Blasio, whose chief of staff ensured the helicopter companies used a different route.

The emails also showed Nixon's Sex and the City co-star Sarah Jessica Parker emailed Nixon in 2014, asking her to reach out to the mayor about small businesses in Manhattan's West Village that had grown frustrated with the city and were in danger of shutting down.

One such business was known as Tea & Sympathy, which Cuomo referred to Wednesday as "the tea house."

Nixon forwarded the email on to the mayor, according to the Daily News.